Bills get 1st playoff win since 1995
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Quarterback Josh Allen, above, and safety Micah Hyde teamed up to make the Bills’ losing past history.
Now do you Bill-ieve?
In a season in which the Bills busted multiple slumps, Allen became Buffalo’s first starter in a quarter century to win a playoff game. And Hyde ensured the Bills wouldn’t endure another second-half collapse as happened last year in a wild-card loss to the Texans.
With the Bills the AFCEast champions for the first time since 1995 and hosting their first playoff game since ’96, Allen threw two touchdown passes and scored another rushing in leading the Bills to a 27-24 win over the Colts in a wild-card game Saturday.
Hyde batted down Philip Rivers’ desperation pass as time ran out in helping the Bills snap an 0-6 postseason skid by winning its first playoff game since a 37-22 win over the Dolphins on Dec. 30, 1995.
The past was very much present in Allen’s mind when reflecting on how the Bills squandered a 16-0 third-quarter lead in a 22-19 overtime loss to the Texans in his first career playoff appearance.
“Obviously we started off a little slow and wewere able to get into a rhythm late. Made enough plays to win,” Allen said. “It’s new territory for myself, but it just gives us a chance to play next week.”
The end of the game was so stunning, in which the Bills nearly squandered a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead, safety Jordan Poyer was still having difficulty trying to put the result in perspective.
“I haven’t had time to celebrate and take it in, but this is awesome for the Bills organization, the city, to be able to play a home game and get a victory,” said Poyer, in his fourth season in Buffalo. “Since 2017, we’ve been working at this, but a day like today, to come out on top, we worked so hard.”